Morning journal and courier., 1887-02-08

The Housatonic Valley Railroad company 3
offer was received in the board of aldermen
last evening and referred to the committee
on finance. It should be acted on as prompt
ly as possible.
If congress could attend solely to the pub
lie business its sessions might not be SO long
and exasperating. 1t is stated that of the
ID, 500 bills introduced in tie present con-
gress three-fourths are of a private nature.
Sir William Thompson, an English scien-
tist, thinks that we cannot depend on the
sun to furnish sufficient light and heat to
make life possible on this planet for more
than ten million years longer. Let us live and
keep warm while we may.
The overseers of the poor of Spencer. Mass
achusetts, decided an important and press
ing question the other day. Application for
aid was made by striker, and they decided
that as the man could have work if he would
apply for it they could not aid him without
making themselves liable.
The time is coming when anybody who
wants to be cremated in Philadelphia can
have it "done up brown" The Crematorial
association of that city is preparing to build
the largest and costliest crematory chapel in
the world It will have a front of &c feet, a
depth of 105 feet the distance will be 90
feet to the top of the dome. the material will
be granite, pressed red brick and terra Gotta.
and the cost will be $4,000.
Hitherto the product of the, wheat fields
of India has been shipped to Europe, and
from Europe has been taken in return the
same wheat ground into -four for Indian
consumption. But it has dawned upon the
native mind that the work of grinding may
as well be done at home, and the profits of
European merchants and millers saved for
the Indian people. Accordingly great ma
tive milling corporation has been formed at
Bombay, and there are indications that it
will be initiated in other Indian cities.
The Dingley bill concerning private lights
and buoys, which bill the committee on
commerce has recommended, is more inpor-
tant than it seems to be at first sight. The
bill declares it misdemeanor for any pri-
vate parties to establish buoys or lights in
navigable waters, and authorizes the Light
house board to establish such signals tempor-
arily whenever it seems necessary, pending
approval by congress. The need for this
course lies in the fact that private individu-
ais and companies have established great
many of these lights upon the inland and
sea coasts, and gain revenue from them by
imposing tolls upon navigators.
An enthusiastic fish culturist is trying to
introduce scalelsss fish into English fresh
waters. In lecture on fish, lately deliver
ed at Worcester, DR.. Francis Day expresses
his belief that they will prove worthless for
sport, almost, if not entirely, useless as
food, and dangerous to handle on account of
| the spines with which they are protected.
These fishes delight to eat other forms of
| fish life. "I obtained said DIR. Day, ga
specimen of common Indian catfish at
Madras, which placed in an aquarium
that contained some carp. It rushed at one
of my poor little fishes, and, before
| could interfere, seized it by the middle of
the back and shook it until it was dead, as a
dog kills rat"
| General Boulanger, the French minister of
war, and called by some the new Napoleon,
| is described by a close friend as man of in
| domitable will and courage, fond of authori-
| ty and ready to WELD all the power at his
| command to gain his end. He is thoroughly